Jon Hamilton
👤 PersonAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
That's right. As you may know, there are now two drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat Alzheimer's disease. I now know. So I've been checking in with one person who is on each of these drugs to see how they're doing.
That's right. As you may know, there are now two drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat Alzheimer's disease. I now know. So I've been checking in with one person who is on each of these drugs to see how they're doing.
That's right. As you may know, there are now two drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat Alzheimer's disease. I now know. So I've been checking in with one person who is on each of these drugs to see how they're doing.
Sure. They are meant for people in the very early stages of Alzheimer's. So, you know, before a person's memory and thinking have gotten really bad. Both of these drugs are given by intravenous infusion and both of them clear out this protein called beta amyloid, which is what forms those kind of sticky plaques that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's.
Sure. They are meant for people in the very early stages of Alzheimer's. So, you know, before a person's memory and thinking have gotten really bad. Both of these drugs are given by intravenous infusion and both of them clear out this protein called beta amyloid, which is what forms those kind of sticky plaques that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's.
Sure. They are meant for people in the very early stages of Alzheimer's. So, you know, before a person's memory and thinking have gotten really bad. Both of these drugs are given by intravenous infusion and both of them clear out this protein called beta amyloid, which is what forms those kind of sticky plaques that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's.
Oh, and both of these drugs cost more than $25,000 a year. Wow. OK.
Oh, and both of these drugs cost more than $25,000 a year. Wow. OK.
Oh, and both of these drugs cost more than $25,000 a year. Wow. OK.
Well, they are really good at removing beta amyloid. They're only okay when it comes to slowing down the progression of Alzheimer's symptoms. So in studies, each drug had this pretty modest benefit. It reduced the rate of decline by maybe a quarter or a third.
Well, they are really good at removing beta amyloid. They're only okay when it comes to slowing down the progression of Alzheimer's symptoms. So in studies, each drug had this pretty modest benefit. It reduced the rate of decline by maybe a quarter or a third.
Well, they are really good at removing beta amyloid. They're only okay when it comes to slowing down the progression of Alzheimer's symptoms. So in studies, each drug had this pretty modest benefit. It reduced the rate of decline by maybe a quarter or a third.
And of course, that is in a group of patients. You can have an individual who may do much better or not be helped at all.
And of course, that is in a group of patients. You can have an individual who may do much better or not be helped at all.
And of course, that is in a group of patients. You can have an individual who may do much better or not be helped at all.
The differences are kind of subtle. The drug licanumab, its brand name is licembi. It was approved in early 2023. And it comes from the companies Acai and Biogen, two big pharmaceutical companies. And this drug requires an intravenous infusion twice a month for the first 18 months with the option then of switching to once a month after that. OK.
The differences are kind of subtle. The drug licanumab, its brand name is licembi. It was approved in early 2023. And it comes from the companies Acai and Biogen, two big pharmaceutical companies. And this drug requires an intravenous infusion twice a month for the first 18 months with the option then of switching to once a month after that. OK.